Gable top container



April 12, 1966 L. WILCOX GABLE TOP CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 25, 1964 FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

ISAAC L. WILOOX FIG. I

ATTORN EY.

April 12, 1966 1.. WILCOX GABLE TOP CONTAINER a Sheets-Sh'et 2 Filed may 25, 1964 INVENTOR.

ISAAC L. WILCOX ATTORNEY.

April 12, 1966 1. L. WILCOX GABLE TOP CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 25, 1964 H I o 6 INVENTOR.

ISAAC L. WILOOX ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,245,603 GABLE TOP CGNTAHNER Isaac L. Wilcox, Fulton, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 25, 1964, Ser. No. 36?,827 3 Claims. (Cl. 2217) This invention relates to containers formed of paperboard and the like, and provided with a gable top closure structure.

The invention has as an object, a gable top container embodying a structural arrangement which provides for quick and convenient opening of the container by the movement of one end closure panel and contiguous foldback panels into a pour spout formation.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a container embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the fiat blank from which the container is formed.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the container with the top closure panels partially folded toward closed po- .sition.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the container showing a pair of fold-back panels contiguous to one end panel outfolded preparatory to opening the container.

FIGURE 5 is a view of the upper portion of the container showing an end panel and contiguous in-fold panels moved outwardly to form the pouring spout.

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on line 66, FIGURE 1, greatly enlarged to show the relationship of the various parts.

FIGURE 7 is a view of the opposite side of the blank shown in FIGURE 2 in the area in which the weakened line of severance is located.

FIGURE 8 is a view taken on line 88, FIGURE 7.

The gable top container is formed from the fiat blank shown in FIGURE 2, which is provided with vertically extending score lines 10, 11, 12, 13, extending from the bottom edge of the blank to the upper edge thereof. There is a horizontally extending score line 14 spaced downwardly from the top edge of the blank and intersecting the upper portions of score lines 10, 11, 12 and 13. There are also a series of horizontally extending score lines 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, extending parallel to the score line 14 and spaced downwardly a substantial distance therefrom.

The area defined by the score lines 11, 12, 17, contitutes a side wall 20 which may be referred to as the front side wall. The area above the score line 17 and between the score lines 11, 12, constitutes a roof panel, and is provided with a score line 21 extending upwardly from the intersection of the score lines 11, 17, and intersecting the score line 14 medial of the score lines 11, 12. There is a short score line 22 extending upwardly from the intersection of the score lines 14, 21, which, in conjunction with the score lines 11, 12 and 14, define sections 23, 24, constituting a ridge panel surmounting the roof panel which comprises the areas 25, 26.

The score lines 10, 15, define an area 27, and the score lines 13, 19, define an area 28. In the formation of the container, the blank is bent on the score lines 10, 11, 12 and 13, about a square mandrel, and the free edges of the areas 27, 28, are overlapped and heat-sealed together by the thermoplastic coating which is applied to both sides of the blank. Accordingly, the areas 27, 28, form a second, or rear side wall of the container.

The area above the score line 15 is divided into two triangular sections 36, 31, by a diagonally extending score line 32. The area comprising the triangular sections 30, 31, in conjunction with the area 33 above the score line 19, form the second, or rear roof closure panel of the container. The area above the score line 18 is provided with converging score lines 35, 37, which intersect the score line 14 medial of the score lines 12, 13. There is also a short vertically disposed hinge score line 38 extending upwardly from the score line 14 to the upper edge of the blank and, in conjunction with the score lines 12, 13, define ridge panels 40, 41.

The triangular areas 42, 43, define fold-back panels which are surmounted by the ridge panels 40, 41, respectively. The area 44 defined by the score lines 18, 35, 37 is an end closure panel. The area below the score line 18 constitutes an end wall panel 45.

The area below the score line 16 and between the score lines It), 11, constitutes the side wall panel 46 which, in the formed container, is positioned opposite to the panel 45. The area above the score line 16 is scored in similar fashion to the area above the score line 13that is, it is provided with converging score lines 49, 50, to define a triangular end panel 51, and contiguous triangular fold-back panels 52, 53. The ridge panels 55, 56, surmounting the fold-back panels 52, 53, are separated by the hinge score line 57, and are formed with a weakened line of severance '60 which preferably, and as here shown, consists of a series of zig-zag incisions. This weakened line of severance 60 is located intermediate the score line 14 and the top edge of the blank.

A strip of sheet material is positioned on the upper edges of the ridge panels 55, 56, surmounting the foldback panels 52, 53. This strip is folded so that there is an outer portion 70 overlying the outer surface of the ridge panels 55, 56. This outer portion '70 has its lower edge terminating just above the weakened line of severance 6d. The inner portion 71 of the strip overlies the inner surfaces of the ridge panels 55, 56 and extends downwardly a short distance below the score line '14 defining the lower edge of those ridge panels.

Preferably the inner portion 71 of the strip is formed with a series of tabs which are struck out of the portion 71 and folded inwardly as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 against the inner surface of the ridge panels '55, 56. The tabs 81) struck from the inner portion '71 are bent inwardly resulting in the portion 71 being formed with a series of apertures 81 located adjacent the top edge of the portion 71 of the strip, see FIGURES 7 and 8.

The container is closed in the conventional manner that is, by folding the end panels 44, 51, inwardly and simultaneously folding the front and rear roof panels inwardly, as shown in FIGURE 3. This folding operation is continued until the upper edges of the roof panels, as deined by score line 14, meet and all of the ridge panels assume a vertical position and are in contact to form a rigid laminar ridge.

With the top closure panels folded to closed position, as shown in FIGURE 1, the fold-back panels 42, 43, swing about the score lines 35, 37 into a position underneath the contiguous portions of the front and rear roof panels. In like manner, the fold-back panels 52, 53 swing about the score lines 49, 50.

The ridge panels 40, 41, swing about the hinge score line 38 into parallel contacting relation between the ridge panels 61, 24. The ridge panels 55, 56, swing about the hinge score line 57 into parallel contacting relation between the ridge panels '23, 62. The ridge panels 40, 41,

3v and 55, 56, may be termed the inner ridge panels in the laminar ridge, and the ridge panels 61, 62, and 23, 24, may be termed the outer ridge panels.

The inner surface of the seal barrier strip 70, '71, is nonheat-sealable to the ridge panels 55, 56, but the outer surface of the strip is heat-scalable to itself and to the ridge panels 23, 62, which are contiguous to the inner portion 71 of the strip in the gable ridge structure when the container is closed and sealed.

Accordingly, when the container is fully closed and heat and pressure are applied to the ridge, the portions '70 seal together and the areas of the panels 55, 56 below the portions 70 seal together. Also, the inner portions 71 of the seal barrier strip seals to the inner surfaces of the ridge panels 23, 62.

The seal barrier strip may be formed of metallic foil and be provided on the inner surface contacting the ridge panels 55, 56 with a coating of non-sealable material. The opposite side of the seal barrier strip is coated with material heat-scalable with the thermoplastic coating on the inner surface of the ridge panels 23, 62.

It will be noted that the tabs 8d are heat sealed to the inner surface of the panels 55, 56 due to the fact that as the tabs are folded inwardly, the heat sealable coating on the outer surface of the strip is now in confronting relation with the inner surface of the panels 55, 56. Also, it will be noted that the small areas of the inner surface of the panels 55, 56, in registration with the apertures 81 in the strip, become heat sealed to the ridge panels 23, 62.

The infolded tabs 80 may be heat sealed to the panels 55, 56, when the blank is in flat form, as shown in FIG- URE 2. This provides a tacking to attach the seal barrier strip to the blank to prevent displacement of the strip from the blank during the formation of the container from the blank. The formation of the tabs 80 and infolding them and sealing them to the panels 55, 56, forms another important advantage which will be referred to hereinafter.

The sealed container is opened by separating the end portion of the ridge in which the seal barrier strip is positioned-that is, the panel 31, of one roof closure and the area 26 of the opposite roof closure, together with the contiguous fold-back panels 52, 53, are swung outwardly in the plane of the end panel 51, as shown in FIGURE 4. This operation results in the separation of the ridge panels 55, 56. These ridge panels 55, 56, are free from the ridge panels 23, 62, because of the presence of the inner portion 71 of the seal barrier strip to which the panels 55', 56, did not heat-seal, as previously explained. A slight contacting pressure on the sides of the fold-back panels 52, 53, then causes these panels and the end panel 51 to swing outwardly to form the pouring spout structure shownin FIGURE 5.

Referring to FIGURE 5, it will be noted that the area 85 in the panels 55, 56, above the weakened line of severance 60 remains attached to the ridge panels 23, 62, due to the fact that it is heat sealed to those panels through the apertures 81 formed in the inner portion '71 of the seal barrier strip. The securement of this portion above the severance line gives the open container, shown in FIG- URE 5, a neat appearance. If the seal barrier strip was not provided with the apertures 81, the portion of the panels 55, 56, above the severance line 60 would be free and might follow out with the panels 53, 52, when the pouring spout was extended.

The seal barrier strip 70, 71, terminates at its ends in spaced relation to the outer ends of the ridge panels 55, 56. In other words, there is a space at each outer end of the panels 55, 56, not overlaid by the strip. Accordingly, these uncovered end areas heat seal together and to the end portions of the contiguous ridge panels 23, 62. Also, it will be apparent, the area of the outer surface of the panels 55, 56, below the barrier strip, heat seal together.

According1y, in separating this end half of the gable ridgethe paperboard in the panels 55, 56, de-laminates bath above and below the weakened line of severance 60.

Above the line of severance the. paper starts to de-larninate in the sealed end areas and this de-lamination continues underneath the outer portion of the seal barrier strip. Accordingly, there is a layer of fibers indicated at 85, FfGURE 5, on the portion 70 of the seal barrier strip. All this results in a fresh, clean, de-laminated fibrous surface, indicated at 85, about the entire pouring lip of the open container.

What I claim is:

l. A gable top container of paperboard or the like, and comprising a tubular body having a bottom closure fixed thereto, a pair of opposed roof panels inclined toward each other and overlying said body, a pair of opposed triangular end panels infolded between said roof panels from the opposite gable ends formed by the latter, two pairs of triangular fold-back panels, each pair of which is integral with a respective one of said infolded triangular end panels along fold lines which are in proximity with said roof panels, said fold-back panels being folded against the under sides of said roof panels, a ridge panel surmounting each of said roof panels and foldback panels, said ridge panels being of uniform height and being disposed vertically in contacting relation to define a central laminar top ridge, a first pair of ridge panels surmounting one pair of said fold-back panels being provided with a weakened line of severance extending lengthwise of said first pair of ridge panels intermediate the upper and lower edges thereof, a strip of sheet material positioned on the upper edges of said first pair of ridge panels and being folded to provide an outer portion overlying the outer surface of said first pair of ridge panels, with the lower edge of said outer portion terminating above said weakened line of severance to permit the opposing portions of the outer surfaces of said first pair of ridge panels not covered by said strips to be heat sealed to each other, and an inner portion overlying the inner surface of said first pair of ridge panels and terminating below the lower edge of said first pair of ridge panels, all of said roof panels, end panels, fold-back panels and ridge panels being provided with a heatsealable coating of thermoplastic heat-scalable material on their inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface of said inner portion of said strip contacting said inner surface of said first pair of ridge panels and the inner surface of said outer portion of said strip contacting said outer surface of said first pair of ridge panels being non-heat-sealable thereto, the outer surface of said strip being heatsealable to itself and to the ridge panels surmounting said roof panels, the ends of said strip terminating in spaced relation to the free ends of the ridge panels on which it is mounted.

2. A gable top container of paperboard or the like, and comprising a tubular body having a bottom closure fixed thereto, a pair of opposed roof panels inclined toward each other and overlying said body, a pair of opposed triangular end panels infolded between said roof panels from the opposite gable ends formed by the latter, two pairs of triangular fold-back panels, each pair of which is integral with a respective one of said inf-olded triangular end panels along fold lines which are in proximity with said roof panels, said fold back panels being folded against the under sides of said roof panels, a ridge panel Sui-mounting each of said roof panels and fold-back panels, said ridge panels of uniform height and being disposed vertically in contacting relation to define a central laminar top ridge, a first pair of ridge panels surmounting one pair of said fold-back panels being provided with a weakened line of severance extending lengthwise of said first pair of ridge panels intermediate the upper and lower edges thereof, a strip of sheet material positioned on the upper edges of said first pair of ridge panels surmounting said one pair of fold-back panels and being folded to provide an outer portion overlying the outer surface of said first pair of ridge panels, with the lower edge of siad outer portion terminating above said weakened line of severance to permit the opposing portions of the outer surfaces of said first pair of ridge panels not covered by said strip to be heat sealed to each other, and an inner portion overlying the inner surface of said first pair of ridge panels and terminating below the lower edge of said first pair of ridge panels, all of said ridge panels being provided with a heat-scalable coating of thermoplastic heat-sealable material on their inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface of said inner portion of said strip contacting said inner surface of said first pair of ridge panels surmounting said one pair of fold-back panels and the inner surface of said outer portion of said strip contacting said outer surface of said first pair of ridge panels being non-heat-sealable thereto, the outer surface of said outer portion of said strip being sealable to itself and said outer surface of said inner portion of said strip being readable to the ridge panels surmounting said roof panels, the inner portion of said strip being formed with a plurality of apertures adjacent the upper edges of said first pair of ridge panels surmounting said one pair of fold-back panels, said apertures being formed by tabs struck out of said inner portion of said strip and being folded inwardly against said last-mentioned pair of ridge panels.

3. A container as defined in claim 2, wherein said strip is formed of metallic foil provided with a non-sealing coating on its inner surface and having a coating of heatsealable material bonded to its outer surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,298,601 10/1942 Tremblett 22992.7 2,302,083 11/1942 Wilcox 2297 2,329,797 9/ 1943 Strack.

2,362,862 11/1944 Sidebotham 22917 X 2,471,017 5/ 1949 Wilcox 2297 2,826,349 3/1958 Hovland 22917 3,120,335 2/1964 Engleston et a1. 22917 X 3,167,231 1/1965 Bray 22917 FOREIGN PATENTS 225,010 3/ 1959 Australia.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. A GABLE TOP CONTAINER OF PAPERBOARD OR THE LIKE, AND COMPRISING A TUBULAR BODY HAVING A BOTTOM CLOSURE FIXED THERETO, A PAIR OF OPPOSED ROOF PANELS INCLINED TOWARD EACH OTHER AND OVERLYING SAID BODY, A PAIR OF OPPOSED TRIANGULAR END PANELS INFOLDED BETWEEN SAID ROOF PANELS FROM THE OPPOSITE GABLE ENDS FORMED BY THE LATTER, TWO PAIRS OF TRIANGULAR FOLD-BACK PANELS, EACH PAIR OF WHICH IS INTEGRAL WITH A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID INFOLDED TRIANGULAR END PANELS ALONG FOLD LINES WHICH ARE IN PROXIMITY WITH SAID ROOF PANELS, SAID FOLD-BACK PANELS BEING FOLDED AGAINST THE UNDER SIDES OF SAID ROOF PANELS, A RIDGE PANEL SURMOUNTING EACH OF SAID ROOF PANEL AND FOLDBACK PANELS, SAID RIDGE PANELS BEING OF UNIFORM HEIGHT AND BEING DISPOSED VERTICALLY IN CONTACTING RELATION TO DEFINE A CENTRAL LAMINAR TOP RIDGE, A FIRST PAIR OF RIDGE PANELS SURMOUNTING ONE PAIR OF SAID FOLD-BACK PANELS BEING PROVIDED WITH A WEAKENDED LINE OF SEVERANCE EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF RIDGE PANELS INTERMEDIATE THE UPPER AND LOWER EDGES TH EREOF, A STRIP OF SHEET MATERIAL POSITIONED ON THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF RIDGE PANELS AND BEING FOLDED TO PROVIDE AN OUTER PORTION OVERLYING THE OUTER DURFACE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF RIDGE PANELS, WITH THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID OUTER PORTION TERMINATING ABOVE SAID WEAKENED LINE OF SEVERANCE TO PERMIT THE OPPOSING PORTIONS OF THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF RIDGE PANELS NOT COVERED BY SAID STRIPS TO BE HEATED SEALED TO EACH OTHER, AND AN INNER PORTION OVERLYING THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF RIDGE PANELS AND TERMINATING BELOW THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF RIDGE PANELS, ALL OF SAID ROOF PANELS, FOLD-BACK PANELS AND RIDGE PANELS BEING PROVIDED WITH A HEATSEALABLE COATING OF THERMOPLASTIC HEAT-SEALABLE MATERIAL ON THEIR INNER AND OUTER SURFACES, THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID INNER PORTION OF SAID STRIP CONTACTING SAID INNER SURFACE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF RIDGE PANELS AND THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID OUTER PORTION OF SAID STRIP CONTACTING SAID OUTER SURFACE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF RIDGE PANELS BEING NON-HEATED-SEALABLE THERETO, THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID STRIP BEING HEATSEALABLE TO ITSELF AND TO THE RIDGE PANELS SURMOUNTING SAID ROOF PANELS, THE ENDS OF SAID STRIP TERMINATING IN SPACED RELATION TO THE FREE ENDS OF THE RIDGE PANELS ON WHICH IT IS MOUNTED. 